Electromagnetic Phased Array Antenna with Isotropic and Non-Isotropic Radiating Elements

Abstract

An electromagnetic phased array antenna system comprising a plurality of isotropic radiating elements addressing close in fields and a plurality of non-isotropic radiating elements addressing remote fields with the combined elements used to extend the maximum range of the antenna system. The non-isotropic radiating elements can be formed by adding focusing structures such as lenses or horns in the radiating path of isotropic radiating elements. Antennas with combined isotropic radiating and non-isotropic radiating elements can be utilized for radar, communication and imaging systems. An electromagnetic phased array antenna system comprising a first plurality of radiating elements with a first field of view and a second plurality of radiating elements with a second field of view that is at least 50% narrower. An electromagnetic phased array antenna system with a plurality of omnidirectional receivers and a plurality of non-omnidirectional receivers to extend the far range of the system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electromagnetic phased array antenna system comprising:
 a first plurality of electromagnetic radiating elements having a generally isotropic radiation pattern;   a second plurality of electromagnetic radiating elements having a non-isotropic radiation pattern; and   wherein the first plurality of electromagnetic radiating elements address non-remote field regions and the second plurality of electromagnetic radiating elements address remote field regions.   
     
     
         2 . The electromagnetic phased array antenna system of  claim 1  further comprising
 a first plurality of electromagnetic receiving elements having a generally omnidirectional field of view; 
 a second plurality of electromagnetic receiving elements having a generally non-omnidirectional field of view; and 
 wherein the first plurality of electromagnetic receiving elements address non-remote field regions and the second plurality of electromagnetic receiving elements address remote field regions. 
 
     
     
         3 . The electromagnetic phased array antenna system of  claim 1  wherein the second plurality of electromagnetic radiating elements are non-isotropic in the vertical plane and generally isotropic in the horizontal plane. 
     
     
         4 . The electromagnetic phased array antenna system of  claim 1  wherein the second plurality of electromagnetic radiating elements are non-isotropic in the vertical plane and non-isotropic in the horizontal plane. 
     
     
         5 . The electromagnetic phased array antenna system of  claim 1  wherein the electromagnetic phased array antenna system is part of a radar system or a communication system or an imaging system. 
     
     
         6 . The electromagnetic phased array antenna system of  claim 1  wherein the second plurality of electromagnetic radiating elements comprise generally isotropic electromagnetic radiators and focusing structures to focus the radiating waves into a non-isotropic radiating pattern. 
     
     
         7 . The electromagnetic phased array antenna system of  claim 6  wherein the focusing structures are lenses such as for example cylindrical lenses and oval lenses for refracting electromagnetic waves. 
     
     
         8 . The electromagnetic phased array antenna system of  claim 6  wherein the focusing structures are micro-horns such as for example E-field and H-field horns for reflecting electromagnetic waves. 
     
     
         9 . The electromagnetic phased array antenna system of  claim 6  wherein the focusing structures are formed in situ on the face of the antenna using a process selected from the group consisting of: micro-fabrication; and photo-processing. 
     
     
         10 . The electromagnetic phased array antenna system of  claim 6  wherein the focusing structures are aligned offset from the broadside of the antenna face. 
     
     
         11 . An electromagnetic phased array antenna system comprising:
 a first plurality of electromagnetic radiating elements, each having a first field of view;   a second plurality of electromagnetic radiating elements, each having a second field of view;   wherein the second field of view is less than half of the first field of view in at least one of the horizontal and vertical planes: and   wherein the first plurality of electromagnetic radiating elements address non-remote field regions and the second plurality of electromagnetic radiating elements address remote field regions.   
     
     
         12 . The electromagnetic phased array antenna system of  claim 11  further comprising:
 a first plurality of electromagnetic receiving elements, each having a first field of view; 
 a second plurality of electromagnetic receiving elements, each having a second field of view; 
 wherein the second field of view is less than half of the first field of view in at least one of the horizontal and vertical planes: and 
 wherein the first plurality of electromagnetic receiving elements address non-remote field regions and the second plurality of electromagnetic receiving elements address remote field regions. 
 
     
     
         13 . The electromagnetic phased array antenna system of  claim 11  wherein the second plurality of electromagnetic radiating elements have a vertical field of view that is less than one half of its horizontal field of view. 
     
     
         14 . The electromagnetic phased array antenna system of  claim 11  wherein the second plurality of electromagnetic radiating elements have lenses in the radiating path of the radiated waves that narrow the radiated field of view of the of the radiated elements in at least one of the horizontal and vertical planes. 
     
     
         15 . The electromagnetic phased array antenna system of  claim 12  wherein the second plurality of electromagnetic receiving elements have lenses in the path of the received electromagnetic waves that narrow the receiving field of view of the of the receiving elements in at least one of the horizontal and vertical planes. 
     
     
         16 . The electromagnetic phased array antenna system of  claim 11  wherein the phased array antenna system is part of a motor vehicle driver assist system, a communication system or a radar system. 
     
     
         17 . A optical phased array antenna system comprising:
 a first plurality of optical receiving elements having a first receiving field of view in the horizontal plane and a second receiving field of view in the vertical plane;   a second plurality of optical receiving elements having a third receiving field of view in the horizontal plane and a fourth receiving field of view in the vertical plane;   wherein at least one of: a) the third receiving field of view is less than half of the first receiving field of view; and b) the fourth receiving field of view is less than half of the second receiving field of view; and   wherein the first plurality of optical receiving elements address non-remote field regions and the second plurality of optical receiving elements address remote field regions.   
     
     
         18 . The optical phased array antenna system of  claim 17  wherein the first plurality of optical receiving elements having a generally omnidirectional field of view. 
     
     
         19 . The optical phased array antenna system of  claim 17  wherein the second plurality of optical receiving elements comprise generally omnidirectional optical receivers and lenses that focus the received light forming non-omnidirectional field of view in at least one of the horizontal and vertical planes. 
     
     
         20 . The optical phased array antenna system of  claim 19  wherein the lenses are cylindrical lenses or oval lenses that focus the received light waves onto the optical receivers. 
     
     
         21 . The optical phased array antenna system of  claim 19  wherein the lenses are offset vertically or horizontally from the face of the antenna so that the second plurality of optical receiving elements have a field of view offset from the antenna face broadside. 
     
     
         22 . An communication phased array antenna system comprising:
 at least one vertical line array antenna of generally isotropic radiating elements;   each radiating element have a lens mounted in its radiating path to focus the radiated wave in the vertical plane, forming a vertical field of view that is less than half of the of the vertical field of view of the generally isotropic radiating element;   at least one vertical line array antenna of generally omnidirectional receiving elements; and   each receiving element have a lens mounted in its receiving path to focus the received wave in the vertical plane, forming a vertical field of view that is less than half of the of the vertical field of view of the generally omnidirectional receiving element.   
     
     
         23 . An algorithm for use with an electromagnetic phased array antenna system, said algorithm comprising:
 analysis software that identifies whether a remote or non-remote field of view is to be addressed in performing an operation of the phased array antenna system: and   wherein at least one of: a) the algorithm directs the system to utilize at least a portion of the plurality of generally isotropic radiating elements and/or at least a portion of the plurality of generally omnidirectional receiving elements for addressing non-remote regions in the field of view of the antenna system; and b) the algorithm directs the system to utilize at least a portion of the plurality of non-isotropic radiating elements and/or at least a portion of the plurality of non-omnidirectional receiving elements for addressing remote regions in the field of view of the antenna system.